Jobs Simply

need help with armed force career choices?

i want to be an officer in the military through the ROTC programs. it seems to me that who ever i ask all the kewl jobs i like are for enlisted ppl, like navy= SAR swimmer,USCG rescue swimmer,divers. everything interesting is not for officers. if you can clear this up for me please do so... things i want to do in my career. work in Search and rescue. really anything that has to do with lifesaving. in the military(not doctors). p.s. i know about pararescue, i dnt think i can handle that training

Public Comments

1. Go Coast Guard.
2. To clarify why it seems all the jobs you want are on the enlisted side, it's because it's true! Officers exist to plan and do paperwork. I'm a SSG (E-6) in the Army and out of a 20 year career as an infantry officer, maybe 2 of those years will actually be on the ground doing infantry stuff as a platoon leader. Most PL's only do 1 year on the ground before they get moved to staff.
3. I AM AN ARMY SPOUSE THE BOTTOM LINE IS ENLISTED DONT LICE OFFICERS MOSTLY. OFFICERS MAKE MORE MONEY AND ARE PRETTY MUCH SAFE FROM DOING THE *HARD* WORK. HOWEVER - IF YOU WANT A JOB THAT INVOLVES ACTUALLY WORKING AND GETTING OUT THERE - INSTEAD OF JUST BEING BOSSY AND FILLING OUT PAPERS AND SO ON BY ALL MEANS GO ENLISTED. IT'S KIND OF UNFAIR -- ENLISTED DO ALL THE WORK BUT THE OFFICERS GET ALL THE PRESTIEGE. OH AND YEAH... MY HUSBAND IS AN ENLISTED!!! GOOD LUCK!!
4. You might be forgetting that every position requires an officer to oversee it. that means that you can go for OCS and still go for anything you want. I recommend that you try out for both ROTC during collage and then try out the National Guard after for at least 1 yr. you will go through the same boot camp that active duty personnel do and you will be trained to do the same MOS that the active personnel do and if you like it during your basic training they will gather all you up in a room and ask you if you want to go active then. (it happens near the end of basic) If for some reason you don't like it you are National Guard and you only have to deal with it 1 weekend a month and 2 weeks a year. (unless you are activated) ether way it gives you more options. I know that they have bonuses for different things at different times, so if they don't have what you want when you want just wait a while. You want to check out which units have just come back if you go active or if the Guards are active and try to join that unit. it gives you a better chance of staying state side longer. Oh if you do really well on your test you will probably have your pick of what ever you want to do. : ) hope this helps. P.S. the drill instructors do not have it in for you, they are just trying to get you to think under pressure. (their pressure) good luck.
5. Then go into an interesting job, it will be hard work but very rewarding. I myself qualified for an officer, and was almost enforced to become one, until the recruiter realized that I'm here in this life to have fun, stay young and Be all you can be. Not by ending up at a desk job at any point in time in my career. Screw that crap. You gotta choose, you want paper work, and tell ppl to jump, are do you want to be the one getting told, jump...NOW! It don't regret it at all, I love living life so fully as a soldier, but that's my story. Choose weather you like the office or the battlefield? I look at it as, if it means i have a great chance of not liveing much longer, why do I worry when Im savouring the joy of my life to it's fullest on the battlefield. I can go so far as to say, my personal experience has led me to feel as if Im walking with the gods, when out there!
6. Join the Air Force.
7. Yvette, there's a little button to the left of the "a" button. Please press it once. Yeah, all the fun stuff is for enlisted men. I'd say do Coast Guard if you want to do SAR. Good luck in your endevor.
8. life as a officer=planing,paperwork, and a s s kissing.. you are better off enlisting..
9. You might want to consider the Coast Guard. Navy SAR swimmers are not that by job classification. For example when I was in the aircrew in the helos were AW's which were anti submarine warfare who monitored sonar equipment. A collateral job was SAR. SAR is not a job in itself in the Navy unless it has changed. Also it is VERY dangerous. You are going into the water in pitch black conditions in freezing cold water to save a guy who might bring you down with him. If you really want more info try calling an HS squadron on a Navy base and ask to talk to an enlisted aircrew about SAR. They are so up themselves I'm sure they will fight over who gets to talk to you so they can brag about how awesome they are. (debatable) Good luck with your decision.
10. You are correct, most jobs for military officers are not very exciting. However one exception is becoming a piolt. All airplane and helicopter piolts in the military are either commisioned officers or Warrant officers.
11. like my batallion commander told my Co one time , you know why there are officers in the marines? capt matthews said no sir , he then said" so there is someone to relieve while the marines train!" lol